Here's the next chapter! I know it's actually a bit shorter than the prologue, but I'm still in the process of setting the story. I'm counting on really getting things rolling the next chapter. I also figured a small update is better than no update.

I also took the liberty of changing the title from Abduction to Casualties of War due to believing it better aligned with the theme of the story. You'll understand my sentiments as the story goes on. Again, feel free to voice any criticism, corrections, or thoughts about the story. Reviews and feedback are always a huge help - enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


Chapter 2

"I don't know Kakashi-sensei. Something just doesn't feel right about any of this".

As much as he wished to avoid it, the words of his pupil did carry some weight to them. But what surprised him even more was how attune to the situation Naruto actually was. It was only a few short years ago, that the eccentric ninja would have jumped at the opportunity to be a part of an assignment such as this. The thought of a daring A-rank mission that tasked its squad through treacherous lands would cause any young shinobi to be filled with delusions of heroism and grandeur. Many would even look on such a moment as the pinnacle of their career; a true testament to their experience and strength.

But it was clear to everyone around him, especially his sensei, that Naruto was no longer one of those young shinobi. Within him, Kakashi witnessed a warrior who understood the uncertainty of the situation. He was no longer ignorant of the potential dangers that resided along the way. Within him, he witnessed a man who had had battles waged against him, and waged battles in return. He had grown up in such a short amount of time, becoming a man before Kakashi's very eyes. But as much pride as it brought him to see how much his student had grown up, it saddened him that he already bore the scars of war.

To be exposed to such things at such a young age… he thought. Many of the youth of the great nations – of every village – were forced to grow up far too fast. Instead of playing war, many children would find themselves living it. They would be forced to bear witness to the horror of watching their comrades fall in battle. Instead of growing up with the cherished memories of a loving family, many found their families stripped away from them.

His thoughts quickly harkened back to his other pupil, the one whose name was still whispered throughout the village to this day – Uchiha Sasuke.

There were times where some would succumb to this unfortunate reality, allowing themselves to be consumed by their hatred and breeding more in return. He remembered the anger that had burned through the Uchiha's eyes, an anger that he had hoped to quell with counsel and experience. But despite his best efforts to repress those desires, they had overtaken Sasuke; consuming him until nothing was left but a shell destined for revenge. His only purpose now was to replicate the pain on the world that he believed had betrayed his clan.

For others, this reality caused their will to be sapped altogether, leading to life of complacency or ignorance. It was not all that an uncommon path to walk, and Kakashi found himself hard pressed to hold such a decision against those who followed it. It was a desire that tempted all those who knew war, even those within the line of duty – even him.

It would be so easy to just turn away. To leave all of the heartache, the loss, behind. To settle down and forget of all the times that have caused me so much pain.

As he thought this, his gaze fell to Naruto and he couldn't help but smile in sound realization.

But then there were the few who chose to face this reality – and say no. There were those that would never accept such circumstances, and would never stop until their dreams have been realized. Naruto embodied what it meant fight the cycle that had engulfed this land for generations. In him existed a promise, entrusted to him by Jiraiya-sensei and his own sensei, Namikaze Minato. In him, they saw the promise of a future without conflict, where understanding came not through bloodshed but friendship. And Kakashi believed in that dream now more than ever. He believed that within Naruto, held the key to changing the entire shinobi world.

"Eh…Kakashi-sensei? Hello?"

With a second inquiry, the white haired ninja was snapped out of his thoughts before proceeding to wave his hands and chuckle.

"Sorry. Seems I zoned out a little bit there" Kakashi stated, before returning his hands to the straps stemming from his travel pack.

"That would be an understatement" Naruto said, the sarcasm evident in his voice. His face scrunched up slightly in annoyance before he continued. "Did you even hear anything I said? I was just saying –"

"Yes, yes, I heard you" Kakashi replied, not even attempting to hide the sigh that escaped his lips. Even though Naruto had matured, his impatience was still something that he had yet to conquer. "And I'm going to be completely honest – I don't disagree with you. But orders are orders, and there is some sense to what Tsunade-sama was saying".

"Kakashi is right" Yamato added, before raising an index finger. "There is a lot of truth to the Hokage's words. A sudden surge of activity could cause the target to suddenly go underground. But there is also another angle of the situation we must consider – if shinobi are vanishing without a trace then it is entirely possible that our intel network has been infiltrated. It's also entirely possible that the networks of other villages have been as well. And if that turns out to be true -"

"Then even the slightest disruption in activity could also have the same effect" Sakura interjected.

"Exactly" Kakashi confirmed, not in the least bit surprised by the kunoichi's quick comprehension of the situation. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that Sakura was extremely gifted in the area of deduction.

"I understand Kakashi-sensei" Naruto said. It was clear the young shinobi was willing himself to fall in line, but it was a battle that he was beginning to lose. "But how can you possibly expect this to succeed!" he questioned, the aggravation beginning to gain momentum through his words. "How can you possibly expect me to trust someone whose loyalties can be summed up in coins? Hell, I'll bet some of these people are even wanted men!"

Kakashi's pace came to a halt as he turned to confront his agitated pupil. "I expect you to make it work because it is your job and duty as a shinobi" he stated, his resolve unfaltering. "As I said, the prospects don't exactly thrill me either and such a mission is practically unheard of. But we will make it work, because a lot of lives depend on this mission being a success."

Before he could say anymore, Kakashi had already returned to his former position at the front of the formation. He was expecting Naruto to continue to voice his frustration, but the only thing that followed was a quiet confirmation.

"I understand, Kakashi-sensei"


With sunlight waning, it wasn't long before the group had decided to set up camp in a small clearing. The process was efficient and painless, welcomed by all those present as they had made it a prerogative to travel most of the day without stopping. It was only a few moments before a fire was roaring at the center of the camp site and rations were appropriately distributed. With stomachs filled, the conversation that followed was filled with tales of missions past and fond memories. Despite the possible desperation that hung over their heads, it was clear that the group was enjoying their time as a team once more.

As laughter filled the air, Kakashi's hands fell to the travel pack that was now resting against the log he was seated on. He pulled out two of the many scrolls that were stored within before clearing his throat, causing all eyes to fall immediately on him.

"Unfortunately, I suppose it's time to get down to business" Kakashi proclaimed dryly, before lifting up the seals of the two scrolls in hand. "I know it must have been frustrating not knowing exactly where we were headed, but we couldn't risk reviewing the mission details within such a close proximity of the village".

Placing the scrolls gently to the ground the group gathered around him, attempting to view the contents held within.

"Our first location might be a location that you're all familiar with – Amegakure."

Naruto recoiled slightly at the mention of the name "But Kakashi-sensei, that's where – "

"Yes" Kakashi answered, as if almost reading his mind. "The village that Jiraiya's pupils originated from."

Naruto's fist clenched as his suspicions were confirmed. He remembered all that Nagato had told him in his final moments – how the great nations used and abused Amegakure in order to wage battles against each other. Battles that had left the very landscape of the tiny nation scarred and in constant strife. To have to visit such a place so soon…

A look of concern took place across Sakura's face as she stared at the young shinobi. It was clear that this revelation was weighing heavily on him, and was left with wonder as she could only guess what was going through his mind right now.

"When you defeated Pain" Kakashi continued "a large power vacuum was created. He was the sole leader of the village, and his voice reigned absolute. As it's clear he never truly believed in electing some 'successor', civil war has descended upon the village."

"So soon?" Yamato uttered. "I would have thought there would at least be some time for the nations to make a joint effort to stabilize the government there".

Kakashi shook his head. "Unfortunately the effects of Pain's death were felt immediately. Despite its size, Amegakure is a key village in that it's connected to three out of the five great nations. Whoever controls the village controls a lot of bargaining power".

"An opportunity that many probably wish to get the first crack at" Yamato said, before folding his arms in deep thought.

"Correct. As you can imagine, the area has undergone a massive influx of personnel due to the demand for troops to supply each faction's war effort. Mercenaries, thugs, soldiers for hire – you name it."

"But if the area is so chaotic, how can the great nations just sit by and ignore the violence occurring right at their doorstep?" Sakura questioned, her eyes searching for.

"It's not a matter of ignorance Sakura" Kakashi responded, knowing that the matter was bound to surface one way or another. "It's a matter of priority. The nations have decided at this time that the threat of the Akatsuki must be terminated before tending to matter such as the situation in Amegakure."

Glancing over at Naruto, Sakura couldn't help but be surprised with how he had continued to remain silent. With how vocal he was with his displeasure earlier, she was expecting him to chime in at any moment – but that moment never came.

If I think it's wrong, I can only imagine how Naruto must feel… she thought, growing more concerned about her companion as time went by.

She was not far off with her assumptions as Naruto continued to struggle with what he was being told. How could they be so selfish?! All those people who had undergone constant war at the hands of the great nations – and now they were facing the same cycle once more! How could they possibly stand idly by when so many people were suffering?

"Naruto".

Emerging from his thoughts, his sensei was now staring straight at him. The look in his eyes told him that he knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I know what you must be thinking – that you owe it to help these people based on what has occurred in the past. I'm not saying we shouldn't lend a helping hand if the opportunity presents itself – but we can't let it get in the way of the mission".

It took him a few moments before he was able to return a slight nod to Kakashi. As much as it pained him, he was right.

"So who exactly are the standouts in this mess?" Yamato inquired. "I'm assuming that there are some factions that have already gained a slight advantage".

Kakashi once again gave a slight nod. "There are currently two factions who have established themselves and gained a significant foothold" Kakashi responded. "The first of these is the ARA, or the Alliance to Restore Amegakure. They're a resistance group mostly made up of various nationalists and locals fighting for sweeping reforms and establishing a political system similar to that of the great nations".

Reaching back into his travel pack, Kakashi produced a photo for the group to see. It showed a man suspected to be in his mid-thirties, with a scar that ran from his left eye to his cheek. His hair was black and slicked back, and his eyes practically glistened with a resolve that couldn't be questioned.

"This is Kichirou Takahashi, leader of the resistance. There's reportedly already been multiple assassination attempts on his life, but to no avail. The people under him are incredibly loyal, so taking him out has proven difficult for the opposition. Not only that, but he seems to have a firm grasp on military tactics. Despite being outnumbered three to one, the resistance has managed to hold their ground".

Reaching back into his pack he produced a second photo, one incredibly less pleasant in the first. Pictured was a grotesquely large man with a sly grin that reached from ear-to-ear. Slightly balding, it was safe to assume that he was at least in his late forties, if not early fifties. Add to the fact that his eyes projected a sense of malice and it was easy to tell the man lacked character in every regard.

"This is Tarou Saitou, the leader of the organization known as Kumo." It was difficult for Kakashi to mask the clear disgust emanating from his voice. "Anything illegal – vice, drugs, extortion, and even forbidden jutsus – go through this organization. You name it, they'll have their hands in it in one way or another. And Saitou is at the head of it all."

"But what could an organization like Kumo gain by sinking such vast amounts of resources into a full on war?" Sakura questioned. "It just seems too public for such an organization that seems to always keep its deals dark".

"It's like we said before" Yamato said. "Amegakure is located between three of the five great nations. If Saitou gains control of the village, he'll have a direct means of smuggling his goods throughout the other nations."

Kakashi withdrew the photograph to its former spot before continuing. "Those are the two largest players in all of this – although there have been rumors of a third faction preparing to enter the fray. However, we can't confirm whether this is true or not at this time."

"Our primary mission is to recruit the men listed in each scroll to our squad, by any means necessary. We've been given full authority by the five great nations – however we've been told to keep most requests or requirements within the law." Pausing, he proceeded to motion his hand to the scroll on the far left.

"The first candidate is a man that goes by the name of Kane Murakami" he explained. "He's one of the most renowned swords-for-hire you can find, sharing past contracts with any organization you could think of. He's even had past contracts with some of the other nations. Not only that, but it's said his skill in kenjutsu rivals that of the Seven Ninja Swordsman".

"That's quite a claim" Yamato stated, presenting a look of skepticism. "The Seven Ninja Swordsman were the best there was – how can we be so sure that these reports aren't exaggerated?"

"If there's one thing that we can be sure of, it's that these guys live up to their reputation Yamato" Kakashi answered. "It's hard to doubt them once you've seen the track record that these people carry with them."

"Do we have any means of identifying him?" Sakura asked, noticing that Kakashi had yet to produce a photograph as he had done for the faction leaders.

"Unfortunately not. The only lead we truly have to go on is the description of the weapon he carries. He may be difficult to find, but the distinctness of the sword should be enough of a giveaway."

Directing his hand to the right, Kakashi now focused their attention to the scroll to his right.

"The second recruit is an assassin by the name of Jiro Hashimoto."

"An assassin?" Sakura had trouble masking the shock in her voice. "Even I have to say sensei, I have some reluctance accepting someone whose sole purpose is to kill."

It was clear to everyone there that there was some truth to her words. But despite this, Kakashi remained resolute. "Be that as it may, this situation does call for a certain bit of delicacy along with a unique set of skills – skills that this Jiro happens to have. He is reputation as an assassin is practically unparalleled."

Pulling out a map from his pack, Kakashi proceeded to spread it in front of all those who were present.

"We believe that within a couple days, the assassin will make his move on his next target – a high ranking lieutenant within Saitou's organization by the name of Sho Fujiwara. It'll be our job to intercept the target before the assassination can occur."

Allowing another few seconds for the information to sink in, Kakashi returned the map along with the two dossiers to his pack.

"Seems like we're facing a lot of unknowns if I'm being perfectly honest Kakashi-sensei" Naruto added. It was evident that he still wasn't convinced of the mission's prospects.

"I know we don't have a lot to go on at the moment, but hopefully that'll change once time goes on. Not only will it give us a chance to gather more information, but we'll also be able to get a more realistic interpretation of the situation once we reach Amegakure."

Looking over the group one last time, Kakashi placed his hands in his pocket before standing up.

"Speaking of which, we still have a ways to go. We'll continue making way first thing in the morning. In the meantime, make sure you get plenty of rest - I have a feeling we're going to need it".